Fatal police chase began with violent carjacking

Wednesday

Dec 12, 2012 at 11:47 AMDec 12, 2012 at 11:50 AM

STOCKTON – Tuesday night’s deadly incident at the Pershing Avenue onramp to northbound Interstate 5 involving a vehicle being pursued by police started about three hours earlier several miles south with a carjacking at American and First streets.

The Record

STOCKTON – Tuesday night’s deadly incident at the Pershing Avenue onramp to northbound Interstate 5 involving a vehicle being pursued by police started about three hours earlier several miles south with a carjacking at American and First streets.

Stockton police reported that a 55-year-old man stopped his vehicle at the corner about 6:50 p.m. when an extended-cab pickup truck stopped in front of him and a man and woman jumped out. They then forced their way into the victim’s vehicle while the pickup they arrived in drove off.

The male suspect got behind the wheel and, with his female companion and the victim still inside, drove north to the corner of Aurora and Hazelton streets. The victim was then beaten until he fled his vehicle, police reported, and the suspects drove off heading north on Aurora.

The victim described the male carjacker to police as white, 5 feet 8 inches with a slim build, short blond hair and a short goatee. He was wearing a white T-shirt. The female carjacker was described as unknown race, 5 feet 3 inches and heavy.

About 9:45 p.m., officers spotted the stolen vehicle near West Park and North Monroe streets with two men and two women inside. They watched as the occupants abandoned that vehicle and got into another one before fleeing, police reported.

The pursuit that reached speeds up to 70 miles per hour on city streets – with one of the suspects firing multiple gunshots at police – culminated with the crash near the freeway. Three of the suspects were injured, receiving treatment from Stockton firefighters, while one, a woman, was pronounced dead at the scene, police reported. No names of the suspects have been released.